yallaf1 04.04.2012
IN THIS ISSUE ALONSO REFLECTS ON MALAYSIA VETTEL VS KARTHIKEYAN RAIKKONEN HAPPY SENNA RELIEVED BUTTON EXCITED AND MUCH MORE
Formula 1 magazine & news digest
SERGIO PEREZ A STAR IS BORN
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IN THIS ISSUE Cover: sutton-images.com
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SERGIO PEREZ FERNANDO ALONSO LOVES FERRARI FERRARI BOSSES BACK FELIPE MASSA MALAYSIA: WINNERS & LOSERS SEBASTIAN VETTEL FEELING THE PRESSURE NARAIN KARTHIKEYAN SAYS: NO CRY BABIES THE ‘NEW’ KIMI RAIKKONEN BRUNO SENNA RELIEVED TO SCORE POINTS TEAMMATES THAT EXCITE JENSON BUTTON JEAN ERIC VERGNE A FORMULA 1 NATURAL AND MUCH MORE...
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FIRSTframe WORD FIRST 4 April 2012
A three week break between races seems like an eternity after two successive weekends of action packed grand prix racing. Sergio Perez’s career defining drive in Malaysia for Sauber is still the big talking point as well as Fernando Alonso’s remarkable win - from out of the blue - while McLaren and, particularly, Red Bull got their sums wrong. Thus no big surprise that this edition is very Sergio friendly with tons of all you need to know about the Mexican including a photo from each and every one of his F1 races to date. Fernando also gets a fair share of column inches for his Sepang efforts. Throw into this: Narain Karthikeyan calling Sebastian Vettel a cry baby, Bruno Senna relieved to score points for Williams, Jenson Button musing about ‘exciting’ teammates, Kimi Raikkkonen happy with his new team, Jean Eric Vergne feeling very comfortable in F1 and other bits and pieces which make this another F1 packed and entertaining edition. Enjoy! Content & Credits • • • •
Editor: Peevee Sub Editor: Adrian Nel All content sourced from YallaF1.com Content providers: PVM, GMM, Reuters, FIA, Red Bull, Ferrari, McLaren, Lotus, Mercedes, Force india, Sauber, Toro Rosso, Williams, Marussia, Caterham, HRT, Pirelli, Cosworth, Renault and other F1 related organisations. • Main Photography by Sutton Images • Additional photography provided by F1 teams including Getty Images, LAT, Hoch Zwei, Ercole Colombo • Contact: info@yallaf1.com 4
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COVER STORY SERGIO PEREZ
SERGIO PEREZ - A SUPERS
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n what was only his 19th F1 race Sergio Pérez achieved his first podium in the highest echelon of motorsport. The 22-year-old came second in the Malaysian Grand Prix on Sunday and is on his way back to his home town of Guadalajara in Mexico, no doubt for some huge celebrations – he spoke with us before he departed.
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STAR IS BORN
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COVER STORY SERGIO PEREZ
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Has it sunk in that you have just had your first F1 podium finish? Sergio Pérez: “I must say it is a bit difficult to accept it because in F1 everything happens so quickly and, although I had to leave straight after the race, I’m still not at home in Mexico and have not really celebrated yet. I am just having a stopover in the US, at Dallas. For sure it was a great race and in a way a great feeling. But initially I was a bit disappointed because I thought maybe I could have won it, although nobody knows what in the end would have happened if I had managed to attack Fernando [Alonso’s position] and whether I would have got by him or not. Meanwhile, of course, I realised that having come second is also a great result for us and is a perfect boost for the entire team, which is working very hard. I am happy for everybody in the Sauber F1 Team.” Even Felipe Calderón (President of Mexico) was among those who tweeted their congratulations. Have you been able to check all the congratulatory messages yet? SP: “I have seen a lot of messages and it is absolutely great to receive so many of them, and especially so many from my home country. I feel a lot of support and I appreciate it very much. I regard it as a kind of reward for all I have done in my career so far, which hasn’t always been easy. I’d like to thank everybody for all the kind messages!” What do you expect to happen when you arrive in Guadalajara? SP: I have no idea. Mexicans are completely out of control. 11
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COVER STORY SERGIO PEREZ
What will you be doing before China? SP: “Of course I am looking forward to going home and seeing my family and friends. I will prepare myself for the next races as we have a long season ahead of us. I will get in touch with the engineers to talk and see what we can do next to improve, and I certainly will be training to be a hundred percent fit and ready to give my utmost at the forthcoming Grand Prix in China.” Looking at that midfield battle it looks incredibly close, everyone’s made a step forward. Have you made a little bit more of a step forward, how do you feel? SP: I feel really fine now in my second year. I know what to expect a bit more as well, 04.04.2012 ISSUE 13
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everybody is very close also. The mid teams to the top teams, we are close so in some conditions maybe we can have some surprises from the mid-teams. What is your next target? SP: “The target is to keep improving our overall performance and the car. We have to push hard and, of course, we have to stay realistic. Although the pace in the race was good we should not forget that this result came after a very special race in extraordinary conditions. Ultimately I always wanted to win races and I strongly believe my first win in F1 will come sooner or later – in an ideal world it will happen this year.” 13
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COVER STORY sauber c31
SAUBER C31 THE TOAST O
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ernando Alonso’s win was a complete surprise, but it was Sauber who have subsequently stolen the headlines after their young driver Sergio Perez finished a feisty second after challenging strongly for the in at the Malaysian Grand Prix. “Only one team could do consistently good laptimes on all the tyres and in all the conditions, and it was Sauber,” confirmed Martin Whitmarsh, whose McLaren team had travelled to Sepang with arguably the fastest car. Speaking to Auto Motor und Sport, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner agreed: “They (Sauber) have somehow managed to get all of the tyres to work perfectly, which at the moment is the key to success. The (tyre) window 04.04.2012 ISSUE 13
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OF THE F1 PADDOCK
is so small that it’s very easy to not be in it,” added the Briton. And Sepang winner Fernando Alonso, whose victory was only ensured by a late-race mistake by Sauber’s Sergio Perez, admitted: “No doubt about it, they were quicker than us.” Some believe it was only the Malaysian weather chaos that brought the Ferrari-powered C31 to the top of F1’s form-guide, but the Sauber was in fact also fast in Australia. “Our cars were severely damaged at the start (in Melbourne),” explained chief designer Matt Morris. “At the front for Perez, the rear for Kobayashi.” Nonetheless, both finished inside the top eight. 15
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COVER STORY sauber c31 “The race in Malaysia showed very clearly how fast our car is,” insisted team boss Peter Sauber, writing in Blick newspaper. “After two very different tracks, we have the assurance now that the C31 is a success.” The next question is precisely how the small Hinwil based team has managed to build a pacesetting car.One possible answer is the end of the blown diffuser era, and the fact that Sauber’s 2012 solution has already been copied by F1’s formerly-dominant Red Bull. Italy’s Autosprint, meanwhile, claims Ferrari is next, mischievously suggesting that the updated F2012 might aptly be called the ‘Ferrauber’. Referring to the FIA exhaust clampdown, Morris admitted: “We had to give up less than our opponents.” Peter Sauber added: “When I saw that Red Bull had chosen a similar route to us, I was sure that we were right.” Another trick on the C31 is a clever use of the loophole allowing an opening at the front of the car for driver cooling. “It’s no match-winner,” Morris insists, “but it gains us some (lap) time.” And Autosprint reports that another “trick” on the Sauber is located in front of the rear wheels, exploiting yet another “grey zone” in the regulations. 04.04.2012 ISSUE 13
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COVER STORY SERGIO PEREZ
SERGIO PEREZ MOTOR RAC
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ergio Pérez Mendoza was born on 26 January, 1990 in Guadalajara, Mexico known as “Checo” Pérez. He is the younger brother of former NASCAR C champion driver Antonio Pérez. He started his open wheel racing in the U based Skip Barber series before packing his bags to ply his trade in Europe. H synopsis of his career to date.
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CING CAREER TO DATE
o, and is also Corona Series United States Here is a brief
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COVER STORY SERGIO PEREZ 2004 Skip Barber
2005 Formula BMW
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PĂŠrez competed in the United States-based Skip Barber National Championship in 2004. Driving for a team sponsored by Mexican telecommunications company Telmex, he finished eleventh in the championship.
PĂŠrez moved to Europe for 2005 to compete in the German Formula BMW ADAC series. He finished fourteenth in the championship, driving for Team Rosberg, and improved to sixth position the following year.
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2006 A1 Grand Prix
2007 Formula Three
In the 2006–07 A1 Grand Prix season, Pérez took part in a single round of the championship for A1 Team Mexico. He was the third-youngest driver to take part in the series.
Pérez switched to the British Formula 3 Championship for 2007. He competed in the National Class with the T-Sport team, winning the championship comfortably. In the process, he won two-thirds of the races and a similar proportion of pole positions, finishing all but two races on the podium.
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COVER STORY SERGIO PEREZ 2008 Formula Three PÊrez and T-Sport graduated to the premier International Class of the championship, where he was one of the few drivers to be equipped with a Mugen Honda engine. After leading the championship early in the season, he eventually finished fourth in the drivers’ standings.
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2008 GP2 Asia Series Pérez drove for the Campos Grand Prix team in the 2008–09 GP2 Asia Series seaso. He was the first Mexican driver to compete at this level of motorsport since Giovanni Aloi in 1990. Perez won his first GP2 Asia Series race at Bahrain’s Sakhir circuit, winning from lights-to-flag in the sprint race having started from pole position. He added a second win at Losail in Qatar.
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COVER STORY SERGIO PEREZ 2009 GP2 Series
He moved to Arden International for the main 2009 GP2 Series season, driving alongside fellow Formula Three graduate Edoardo Mortara. Pérez finished twelfth in the standings, with a best result of second coming at Valencia. In the offseason, he contested two rounds of the 2009–10 GP2 Asia Series for Barwa Addax. 2010 GP2 Series Pérez competed again with Barwa Addax in the 2010 GP2 Series campaign where he won five races and finished second in the standings behind fellow South American driver Pastor Maldonado.
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COVER STORY SERGIO PEREZ 2011 Formula 1 In October 2010, Sauber announced that Pérez would join the team in 2011, replacing Nick Heidfeld. Sauber subsequently announced a partnership with Pérez’s sponsor Telmex. Pérez is the fifth Mexican to compete in Formula One and the first since Héctor Rebaque in 1977–81. The rookie crossed the line in seventh place in his first F1 race, the Australian Grand Prix, impressing commentators by stopping to change tyres only once - the only driver in the field to make fewer than two stops. However, both Sauber cars were subsequently disqualified for infringing technical regulations. Pérez failed to repeat the result in Malaysia where body parts flew off Sebastien Buemi’s Toro Rosso car and into the electrical system of Pérez’s Sauber, forcing his retirement. The Chinese Grand Prix saw him start in 12th position and he struggled during the race as well as making contact with several drivers en route to 17th. In Spain, Pérez collected his first classified points in ninth place, ahead of team mate Kamui Kobayashi in tenth. 04.04.2012 ISSUE 13
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COVER STORY SERGIO PEREZ During the third part of qualifying for the Monaco Grand Prix, Pérez lost control of his car upon exiting the circuit’s tunnel section, swung to the right and crashed into the barrier, before sliding across the chicane and hitting the TecPro barrier with a heavy side impact. Pérez was seen holding his hands around his head in an attempt to protect it just before the final impact. He suffered a sprained thigh and concussion, and did not take part in the race on medical grounds. After taking part in the first practice session of the Canadian Grand Prix, Pérez did not feel well enough and decided not to take any further part. He was replaced by Pedro de la Rosa. Pérez was back in Valencia for the European Grand Prix and finished 11th after attempting to run the race on a one-stop strategy. Pérez took a career best seventh at the British Grand Prix and eleventh in Germany. After a 15th place in Hungary and retirement in Belgium, followed by a gearbox failure while running seventh in Italy, he scored a point in Singapore after losing ninth place to Felipe Massa. 04.04.2012 ISSUE 13
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COVER STORY SERGIO PEREZ In Japan Pérez took eighth place earning a total of four points. At Korea he failed to take any points after finishing in sixteenth. He earned one point in India after finishing in tenth. In Abu Dhabi, he started 11th on the grid. He fell back into 22nd after contact on the front wing but finished in 11th. On 28 July, it was announced that Pérez would remain with Sauber into the 2012 season, alongside teammate Kobayashi. On 13 September, Pérez tested for Ferrari as part of the Ferrari Driver Academy in a Ferrari F60, Ferrari’s car from the 2009 season.
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COVER STORY SERGIO PEREZ 2012 Formula 1 Pérez started the season with eighth place at the Australian Grand Prix, losing several places on the final lap due to excessively-worn tyres. In the second round at Malaysia, he went on to battle with Fernando Alonso for the win. In the dying laps of the race he was able to close the gap to 0.5 seconds, but was not able to make the pass as he went wide at turn 14 and fell back, finishing 2.2 seconds behind Alonso. The official website of the F1 called Checo as: “Man of the match”. He went on to finish second, his first podium finish in Formula One, and Sauber’s best ever result (excluding the BMW era). A star was born on that day!
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FOR THE RECORD FERNANDO ALONSO
FERNANDO ALONSO: I ADMIRE THAT FERRARI R
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t was nice to be back in Maranello after Sunday afternoon’s win. In the plane, I was thinking again about the race and I could hardly believe it. Then, once I’d arrived here, I saw the smiles on the faces of all our people and I was very pleased to see how strong is the desire to work to improve the car in the shortest time possible. During the race, I only began to think the win might be on after the final pit stop. With the intermediates I was trying to gain as much ground as possible but I knew that on a drying track, as the possibility of switching to the dry tyres became a reality, then it could all change. Then, after the stop, I saw that Perez was very quick and he was putting me under a lot of pressure, but I knew that all the same, there was only one dry line which was no more than two metres wide: even if he got right into my slipstream, getting past would not be easy and I was hoping I’d be able to fend him off all the way to the end. It’s a shame none of my friends bet on me winning in Sepang, or on me leading the championship after the first two races: I think they’d have won an impressive amount! However, my real friends are all very happy and pleased about the win, but no one, including everyone in the team, is under any illusions. 04.04.2012 ISSUE 13
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REFUSE TO GIVE UP
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FOR THE RECORD FERNANDO ALONSO The championship has not got off to the sort of start we wanted and there is much much to do. But refusing to give up is a quality that I have always admired about Ferrari, when I was racing against them and also now that I’m part of the team. The next two races will also see us on the defensive and there’s no doubt about that. While we are incapable of being competitive and able to fight consistently for the podium or a win, limiting the damage is the only thing we can do. If the conditions are normal, we must try not to lose too many points compared to the best: let’s hope we can do the same as we did in Australia and Malaysia… Now, I’ve got a few days here in Italy to undergo a routine medical check-up at the Physiology Centre at Forli where my trainer Fabrizio Borra reigns supreme. I do these medical and physical checks two or three times a year to see what shape I am in and to control every aspect of my body. Then, I’m heading back home to Spain to see the family, so we can spend a few days together. You need a bit of time to relax after such a demanding race as the one in Sepang and then it will be time to put the finishing touches to preparation for another back to back run, this time in China and Bahrain, which means more long journeys and changes of time zones. Imagine, when I left it was still winter and now, after three weeks away, we are right in the middle of spring: it’s a nice change! 04.04.2012 ISSUE 13
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FOR THE RECORD FERNANDO ALONSO
The past three weeks have been my first on Twitter and I have to say it’s been a very enjoyable experience. It’s something I’d wanted to do for a while and I myself put the work in to get it up and running. Over the past months I had seen that there was a lot of talk about me on the Internet and on social media sites, so I thought it would be better if I was on it myself, don’t you think? It means I can give my own point of view, talk about my life, what I get up to when I’m travelling the world going to the races, trying to put across my real feelings. Nothing technical though, because deep down, Formula 1 is still a sport where discretion when it comes to certain aspects is still important, but it’s a way for me to describe what goes on in the world of someone who does the job I do. For now, it’s great, especially reading all the tweets from my followers and the suggestions they 04.04.2012 ISSUE 13
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send me: I don’t reply to them, because it would take me all day, but I read all of them and I will try and improve my standard of tweeting. I have to say I was very surprised, first and foremost by the number of followers I had almost immediately. When I put up the first video I had made, I was having a stop off in Doha on the way to Australia and in the airport lounge, I had a bet with my manager and with my physio Edoardo as to how many followers I would have before leaving: I said a thousand, Luis eight hundred and Edoardo six hundred. Well, after four hours, when it was time to take off for Melbourne, the number had reached 39 thousand! Then there’s the level of enthusiasm: there are so many messages, all of them positive and I have to say that it gives me a real boost - Fernando Alonso. 41
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FOR THE RECORD Felipe massa
FELIPE MASSA: NOT SCORING ANY POINTS
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ne day to be with the team, to analyse in detail every moment of these first two Grands Prix of 2012, to understand how and why things did not go the way we wanted in Australia and Malaysia. I changed my plans and came to Maranello after the race in Sepang, with this purpose in mind. I met my engineer Rob Smedley and I spent a lot of time with Pat Fry, going over everything that happened, because this is the only way I think we can understand the reasons behind these two bad weekends. I am disappointed, there is no denying it: not scoring any points in two races hurts, but now it’s time to turn the page. It’s the not the first time I’ve gone through a difficult moment like this and I know well that things can change quickly, but now is the moment to do my utmost because I want this negative period to come to an end. I want things to return to normal, to a situation in which I can show my talent as I have always done and as the team knows I can do. I was very happy to read and hear what was said by President Montezemolo, our boss Stefano Domenicali and my teammate Fernando. Their words did not come as a surprise, because I know I can count on the support of what is a real second family for me, which is what Ferrari has been to me for all these years.
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S IN TWO RACES HURTS
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FOR THE RECORD Felipe massa I feel there is confidence around me, that the team is united in its support for me and that is very important. Now I want to transform that into results to pay back all this support. Now, I am heading home to Monaco to spend a few days with my family, then next week I will be back in Maranello for further meetings with the engineers and for a bit of time working on the simulator. Pat ran through with me the details of the F2012 development programme and we hope we can slightly improve our performance already in Shanghai. Both there and at Sakhir, one of my favourite tracks, we will once again be fighting on the counter-attack, trying to fine tune the car as well as possible to make the most of any opportunity, just as Fernando did in Sepang. The championship looks like being long and closely contested, with many teams seemingly able to fight for the top places and it only takes a little to find yourself in the front or the back. We hope we can make good progress as soon as possible and put ourselves solidly in the lead group!
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FOR THE RECORD Felipe massa
FERRARI BOSSES BACK MA
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errari president Luca di Montezemolo has offered Felipe Massa some cautious backing, in the wake of a seriously below par start to the season for the Brazilian. The struggling driver returned to the Maranello headquarters the week after Malaysia rather than travel home to Brazil to be with his family as planned. However team boss Stefano Domenicali said the 30 year old retains Ferrari’s full backing, despite two sub-standard performances in Australia and Malaysia and widespread calls within the media for his dismissal. Germany’s SID news agency quotes Montezemolo as saying: “We have great confidence in Massa. And at the moment I don’t see many outstanding drivers out there.” The cream of Ferrari’s own driver development academy, Sergio Perez, sensationally finished second behind Fernando Alonso last weekend in Malaysia, with Massa fifteenth. Brazilian former driver and now commentator Luciano Burti traces Massa’s decline all the way back to Hockenheim 2010, when on the one-year anniversary of his near-fatal crash he was told by his engineer Rob Smedley: “Fernando is faster than you”. “When that order came, his house fell around him,” Burti told Globo. Soon after that, Alonso was – and still is – the darling of Ferrari, with Massa relegated to little more than the “test driver” for new components. Massa has not been on the podium since his near-fatal accident, and this year in Australia he did not finish while in Malaysia he crossed the line down in 15th – on both occasions battling at the wrong end of the field.
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ASSA TO BOUNCE BACK
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FOR THE RECORD RUBENS BARRICHELLO
WISE ADVICE FOR UNDER F FROM RUBENS BARRICHEL
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eteran F1 driver Rubens Barrichello has advised his friend and countryman Felipe Massa to remember to enjoy his job, amid rumours the Brazilian is speeding towards the exit at Ferrari, amid speculation that his performance slump, and that Massa will be replaced by the famous Italian team — perhaps as soon as within the 2012 season. Former Ferrari driver Barrichello, who has switched to Indycar this year after losing his Williams seat, told Brazil’s Globo Esporte that he thinks Massa’s problem is psychological. “It’s not a speed problem,” he said, “it’s something that he needs to solve within himself. He has to close his eyes and enjoy, remembering that he does this because he likes it. Every time that I lost a little bit, it was because I had forgotten that I did it because I liked to. So we (drivers) have to relax and improve that way. (For Massa) it is just a moment, and every moment and race in formula one is a cycle of life,” said Barrichello who raced for the Maranello squad from 2000 to 2005.
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FIRE FELIPE MASSA LLO
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FOR THE RECORD RUBENS BARRICHELLO Barrichello’s advice for Massa may be particularly relevant, as he was at Ferrari during Michael Schumacher’s ultrasuccessful reign last decade. Now, it is Fernando Alonso who is the Maranello team’s favoured son. “Of course Ferrari loves Alonso, because he is one of the best, if not the best who is there (in F1) now. So, it’s tough for Felipe,” added the Brazilian who won 11 grand sprix and is now plying his trade in Indycars with KV Racing. Barrichello also laughed at the results of a recent fans’ poll in the Italian media that showed he would be a highly popular choice as Massa’s replacement, “It was very unexpected. Maybe it was a way (for journalists) to see if Italians would pick an Italian driver, and suddenly I win. It is a very public business and shows that I must have left something behind.”
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feature the winners & the losers
MALAYSIAN GRAND PRIX: THE WINNERS & THE LOSE
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e take a look at the winners and the losers after an action and drama packed Malaysian Grand Prix at a rain soaked Sepang circuit, where we witnessed a gritty performance by a wily double world champion, a remarkable drive by a young upstart and, of course, everything in between.
By James Rossi
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The Winners Malaysian race fans: After a rain-cancelled 2009 event, the regrettable cancellation of last year’s MotoGP race and the red-flag of yesterday, those who shelled out their hard earned Ringgits may have been feeling rather short-changed. Instead, they were treated to a wonderful spectacle and the emergence of yet another potentially great racing driver in the form of Sergio Perez. Whilst Malaysian backed Mercedes fell back, and Malaysian owned Caterham made no inroads into the midfield, it was a great day for F1 racing. Sergio Perez: The only surprise with the Mexican’s performance was that so 04.04.2012 ISSUE 13
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many people were surprised. In GP2, he showed his quality with five wins enroute to the runner’s up position in 2010. In his short spell in F1, he has proved to be a smooth, yet rapid driver. The Malaysian Grand Prix of 2012 should really have been won by Sergio Perez; that he was warned as to his current position, that he was brought in by his team a lap too late for the switch to slicks, all point to a team that suffer nosebleeds above fifth or sixth position. In the end, it was Perez’ own mistake that cost him the race. Regardless, a fantastic result. Fernando Alonso: In keeping with last week’s Alonso format, the usual script. Mixed conditions. Adaptation necessary. Cool head and right strategy calls. There’s only one winner, isn’t there? 59
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Bruno Senna and Lewis Hamilton: In Melbourne, both drivers fell short of expectations. Hamilton went backwards, was outpaced and looked glum. Senna’s race was messy, he was outpaced, and generally forgotten in the midst of Maldonado’s run towards 6th, and eventually the barrier. However, both drivers drove solidly and bounced back from mediocre races just seven days earlier. Senna’s climb through the field was majestic, finding grip on badly worn intermediates when others could not. Hamilton on the other hand seems to have reverted to his 2007 self – slowly picking up podiums, not getting 04.04.2012 ISSUE 13
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into trouble, and being consistent. The same cannot be said of team mate Button, who inexplicably suffered from a moment of brain fade as he careered into the side of the hapless Narain Karthikeyan. Usually one of the most adept at judging conditions, Button’s race was ruined on this occasion by his inability to judge the track surface. Hamilton has learnt from his post-race demeanour in Australia (or has been given a lengthy PR briefing), and looked content with his podium finish. If he keeps this solid consistency up, driver stereotypes might just have to be rewritten. 61
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feature the winners & the losers The Losers Sebastian Vettel: Well, well, well. How very Lewis Hamilton circa 2011-esque. Despite actually running ahead of his team mate and looking on course for a helpful haul of points, Vettel’s Malaysian race did not show the mark of a champion. He was not generally fast, whereas Webber’s average laps over the race were among the fastest. He also dropped back in the wettest of conditions, whereas Webber and those ahead managed to build a small gap to him. Finally, his incident with Karthikeyan was a mess from start to finish. The Indian was at fault, and duly received an inconsequential penalty, considering the machinery he has at his disposal. However, on one of the widest circuits in the calendar, last year’s world champion decided to leave the HRT driver, and a known liability with blue flags, just one car length of room by the side of the track. To then repeatedly insult Karthikeyan, proceed down the back straight with his foot flat to the floor, spreading tyre rubber across the track, and label his afternoon’s nemesis as an “idiot”, smacks of somebody feeling the pressure. Has he learnt from 2010? Considering yesterday’s behaviour, perhaps not. This season will be very telling for the legacy of Sebastian Vettel as either a great, humble champion (note Button’s apology to Karthikeyan), or a fast but fragile manchild. 04.04.2012 ISSUE 13
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feature the winners & the losers Mercedes: Where does their pace go? Is the ‘Super DRS’ a hindrance to them over a race distance? In Australia, their cars qualified P4 and P7. In Malaysia, P3 and P8. They leave both events with one point, and those points were gained through the retirements of two competitors ahead. Although Michael Schumacher was involved in a first lap incident with Romain Grosjean, it’s debatable whether or not he would have held onto his position in the top three. Alonso, Perez, Hamilton and Webber all posted faster average times throughout the race, and it wasn’t until the last stint on dry tyres where Rosberg managed to match a disinterested and non-points scoring Button in the McLaren. There hasn’t been this much promise without
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heir conviction that a who were about to get y in that form, would race than upset their rance and idiocy is
ra-smooth driving style, been belting round in ellow Spanish speaking
rival, Fernando Alonso. When you’re chasing a double world champion for victory, in damp conditions, AND you’re 22 years old, small mistakes such as the one that befell the Mexican can and do happen. If we are going to go down the route of such unlikely collusion between teams and suppliers in such circumstances, we will end up losing sight of the fact that F1 is not a sport for the red-tops and tabloid hysteria. It is the cutting edge of technology, housing some of the world’s most intelligent and creative designers, engineers and skilled drivers. Mistakes happen, and such ridiculous assumptions should be left for fairweather, ignorant fans and commentators.
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FOR THE RECORD red bull
CHRISTIAN HORNER: YOU SEBASTIAN FOR BEING A B
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ed Bull boss Christian Horner has come out in defence of SebastianVettel after the world champion’s incident packed, high profile afternoon at Sepang, during the rain affected Malaysian Grand Prix.
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CAN’T BLAME BIT FRUSTRATED
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FOR THE RECORD red bull Vettel lost out on fourth place after he suffered a puncture late in the race when he was tapped from the back by Narain Karthikeyan’s errant HRT. Vettel’s frustrations were compounded by a faulty radio which all but eliminated communication with his engineer Guillaume Rocquelin. Horner explained to Sky Sports, “These guys get a microphone shoved in front of him just after he’s effectively lost a fourth-place position and of course he was annoyed, he vented his frustration. But it’s one of those things. I think that any driver in that situation would be totally annoyed with the situation.” “Obviously the stewards deemed that Narain was in the wrong and dealt with it accordingly. But I don’t think anybody could blame Sebastian for being a bit frustrated in that situation.” “He was driving very well, he was closing in on Lewis, and of course he was wanting to finish the race in a positive manner and there were a lot of points on offer there.” Vettel also appeared to defy team instructions, with a handful of laps remaining in the race, when he was told to retire the car by Rocquelin who was heard on the radio ordering: “stop the car, emergency, stop the car now, emergency.” 04.04.2012 ISSUE 13
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Horner shed light on the incident, “Basically what the sequence of events was, that after the impact with Karthikeyan the tyre delaminating damaged the left-rear braking cooling duct and that brake and corner of the car started going to a thermal runaway.” “So from a safety point of view we were genuinely concerned that there could be a catastrophic failure which could throw him into a nasty spin or accident. So at that point we were saying he should stop the car. Sebastian was managing the situation pretty well, he was aware of what was going on, he could feel that the brake pedal was going long from what he said to us after the race.” “And of course then Maldonado retires and you’ve got one lap to go and so you think okay well let’s stay out, see if something else happens and then there’s a potential point on offer here. But then the temperatures continue to increase and that was when we said come on, okay, right let’s see if we can get him to stop the car because we just don’t want to take any risk with his safety.” “But those messages unfortunately didn’t get through to the car. Sebastian, as it turned out, didn’t really use the brakes at all on that last lap and was keen to see the chequered flag,” said Horner. Vettel finished 11th in Malaysia, only the second time in 23 races that he has been out of the points.
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for the record narain karthikeyan
NARAIN KARTHIKEYAN: ON VETTEL TO BE SUCH A CRY
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ndia’s Narain Karthikeyan has told Sebastian Vettel not to act like a ‘cry baby’ after the F1 champion called him a ‘cucumber’ for causing a collision at last weekend’s Malaysian Grand Prix. Vettel, chasing his third successive title with Red Bull this season, finished 11th, and out of the points at Sepang after tangling with the HRT driver. The 24-year-old German, now sixth overall and 17 points off the lead, directed his anger at Karthikeyan after the incident while team boss Christian Horner accused the Indian of ‘brain fade’. “For a world champion to say things like that is really shameful,” Karthikeyan told India’s Hindustan Times newspaper. “It is really unprofessional. “For a driver who has achieved so much to take out his frustrations on me just because he is having a difficult year is really sad. One does not expect a professional sportsman to be such a cry baby.” Stewards decided Karthikeyan had caused the collision and handed him a drive-through penalty after the race which meant 20 seconds added to his race time. However the Indian complained that his version of events had been ignored. “They didn’t care about what I had to say because Mr Vettel told them God knows what when he went and talked to them,” he told the paper.
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for the record kimi raikkonen
KIMI RAIKKONEN: PEOPLE WHICH I THINK IS DOWN T
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three week gap between Malaysia and China comes as a welcome break for drivers and teams. We caught up with Kimi Raikkonen to hear what the 2007 World Champion has been up to, his thoughts on the season so far, and the ‘New Kimi’ who seems to be the talk of the paddock… 04.04.2012 ISSUE 13
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E SEE ME MORE RELAXED TO THE TEAM
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for the record kimi raikkonen After a busy start to the year it must be good to have a break before the next race; what have you been up to? Kimi Raikkonen: I went straight to Beirut from Malaysia for the Lotus Cars Lebanon dealership launch event which was a good evening. I haven’t had much time back home yet, but I’ll be making the most of it to catch up with people and have a bit of fun. We have to keep training hard to maintain good fitness for every race, so there’s still that to consider. Now that you’ve had time to reflect on the first two races, how has the season been for you so far? KR: I think we’ve got off to an encouraging start. It’s been frustrating sometimes with the chassis issues in testing, the qualifying mix-up in Australia and the gearbox change in Malaysia, but we’ve shown we can deal with any problems and come back stronger. It feels like I’ve never been away; the team has done a good job and I’m working well with them which makes things easier. The car feels good and we clearly have the pace to be at the front; we just need some better luck. 04.04.2012 ISSUE 13
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for the record kimi raikkonen There’s been a lot of talk about the ‘New Kimi’ this season; do you think you’ve changed since you left the sport? KR: Not really, I’m still the same person as I was before. Maybe people see me as more relaxed, which I think is down to the team. It’s a different atmosphere to what I’ve experienced before; everyone is very open and laid back but at the same time they work extremely hard and pay a lot of attention to detail. I feel comfortable here which helps me to focus on racing; I guess that’s why people seem to think I’m a different person, but I’m just as focused and motivated as before.
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FOR THE RECORD JENSON BUTTON
BUTTON: IF LEWIS WASN’T EXCITING TO BE FERNAND
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enson Button enjoys the challenge of being Lewis Hamilton’s teammate at McLaren, but admits that having Fernando Alonso in the garage beside him on grand prix weekends would be an exciting prospect. Speaking to the Daily Mail, Button said, “Lewis is extremely quick, we see that all the time, and it’s really exciting having a team-mate like that. It’s tough on some days, but other days it’s great, and it’s a real challenge, which I like.” Button joined McLaren in 2010, becoming part of what was known to be ‘Hamilton’s team’, but in the past two years the 2009 world champion has asserted himself in the Woking squad and last year beat Hamilton in the championship standings. McLaren are the only team to have two world champions in their line-up. Button nevertheless admits that he would relish the prospect of partnering Ferrari driver Alonso, “If Lewis wasn’t in F1, for example, I personally feel it would be exciting having Fernando as a team-mate. Fernando is extremely talented, he is a double world champion, he is fast.” “Is he the fastest in the sport? Probably not, and he would probably say the same, but he is very intelligent,” mused Button. “In some ways we’re similar, in other ways we are definitely not,’ added Button. “One of the ways in which we are is in terms of wanting a team of people around us. We need that support to really achieve. So yeah, he’d be exciting to work with, to work with and to be an enemy, which I’m sure he would be.” 04.04.2012 ISSUE 13
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T IN F1 IT WOULD BE DO’S TEAMMATE
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FOR THE RECORD JEAN ERIC VERGNE
JEAN ERIC VERGNE: RACIN IN THE GARAGE - NONE OF
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oro Rosso rookie Jean-Eric Vergne looks back on his first two grand prix weekends – in Australia and Malaysia – where he enjoyed his first experience as a full time F1 race driver. The Frenchman reflects on the first two races of his F1 career. “I’ve spent quite a lot of time imagining what it would be like going into a weekend as an F1 driver. At the end of last season I took part in the Friday morning sessions but beginning the season in a race seat would inevitably be…different. I was expecting it to be fantastic, basically twice as intense as anything that I’d experienced before in racing. Because I’d been thinking like that for a while, once I actually got to do it everything actually seemed quite normal. Racing, qualifying, working in the garage, none of it seemed strange. I wonder if that’s a good thing? I think it probably is – certainly if things seem normal then it helps you stay calm and focused. We’ve done two races now and scored some points. I think what we come away with from those first two flyaways is a belief that the car is good. As the season goes on everyone will have a programme of development but it’s good to have a solid basis on which to work. I’m confident we can have more good results and get even stronger. 04.04.2012 ISSUE 13
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NG, QUALIFYING WORKING F IT SEEMED STRANGE
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FOR THE RECORD JEAN ERIC VERGNE The Malaysian Grand Prix was tough at the start but as the race went on it got easier. At the beginning the rain made it really, really hard, especially as we opted to stay out on the intermediates instead of going to the full wet tyres. It proved to be the right decision as the red flag came out, as we thought it would, but it was really difficult in the laps before that. I was struggling to keep up with the pack as it followed the safety car – it was so wet I had oversteer on the straights when I was just trying to drive in a straight line. After the restart things were OK. I think maybe I
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could have pitted for dry tyre the whole to start 18th and fi Getting my first points in F1 f to Shanghai and have anothe couple of mistakes in the firs get to China and be stronger But, before that, lots of o the simulator. Obviously ther the next two races, which ag there’s also a lot to learn from and so in between getting ba
es a little earlier but on finish eighth is a good day. feels great. I’m eager to go er go. I think I’ve made a st two races, so I’m keen to r. other stuff. Today I was in re’s preparation to do for gain are back to back, but m Albert Park and Sepang, ack from Malaysia and
flying out to China I’ll be hitting the simulator pretty hard. I’ll also spend plenty of time speaking with Andrea, my engineer. I’m back in Paris now. Tomorrow I have to do some media with TF1 but apart from that I’ll do lots of work with my trainer and also do some karting at my parents’ place in my 125 gearbox kart. In terms of size I’m still just about OK for karting. It was tough for me when I was competing because I was generally a little bit too tall – but it’s OK if I’m just out there to enjoy myself.” Getty Images
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FOR THE RECORD HRT
TONI CUQUERELLA APPOIN HRT TECHNICAL DIRECTOR W
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ngineer Toni Cuquerella has been appointed to the role of Technical Director of HRT Formula 1 Team. Cuquerella, besides being at the head of technical development, will continue to exercise his role as the maximum figure of engineering on the track. Since Geoff Willis left the team in September of 2011, the position of Technical Director has not been occupied. The decision was then made for the development of the F112 to take place at the team’s technical office in Munich,
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NTED WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT
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at the hands of Holzer Group and the Chief of Aerodynamics, Stephane Chosse, under the supervision of the, until last February, Technical Coordinator Jacky Eeckelaert. With the F112 put on the track, it’s now time to work on its development and evolution and so, the naming of a person to lead this project is necessary. And no one better than Toni Cuquerella, with his experience in Formula 1 and his praiseworthy work at the fore of HRT, to take it on. 93
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The appointment of the Spanish engineer at the head of the technical department is a new step in the new management’s desire to centralize and take control of all the activities related to the design and development of the car. This will optimize the coordination of the different departments, helping to meet the set targets, and also rationalize resources. Toni Cuquerella, Technical Director: “The role of Technical Director implies a great amount of responsibility in terms of coordination and decision making. That’s why I’m very proud that the management considers me to be the most adequate person to carry it out. Until now there was a lot of dispersion from within the technical team and that had its repercussions in the concept and quality of the F112. My priority is to solve the current car’s problems to then develop it to its maximum potential, whilst also unifying and expanding the technical department, but I’m confident that we have a good work base and a clear direction to advance and have a good project for the future?. Luis Pérez-Sala, Team Principal: “Toni Cuquerella has been a key figure in the team since its inception and, above all, in this new stage. The transition from the previous project to this one hasn’t been easy and a lot of work has been carried out that without vital figures such as him wouldn’t have been possible. The position of Technical Director was vacant and the development of the F112 was carried out at the technical office in Munich. But now, with the car already on the track, it was important to take control and count on someone influential at the head of the technical office. And because of his experience, judgment and knowledge, Toni’s profile fitted in perfectly”. 95
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FOR THE RECORD HRT Toni Cuquerella Profile Date of birth: 14 April 1973 Place of birth: Gandia, Spain Nationality: Spanish • Antonio Cuquerella, 38, did a degree in Mechanical Engineering at the Universidad Politécnica of Valencia. • In 1999 he had his first role as a race engineer for Campos GP at the Open Nissan. After this he worked in various national and international motorsport categories before becoming Chief Engineer of the Toledo WTCC and Leon WTCC projects at SEAT Sport. • In 2006 he arrived in Formula 1 as a race engineer for Super Aguri F1, where he spent two years before moving to BMW Sauber F1 Team, acting in the same role with driver Robert Kubica. • Towards the end of 2009 he decided to take a risk and back Adrián Campos in a project to establish a new Spanish team in Formula 1, becoming the Chief Race Engineer for Campos Meta. Since the team?s first season, Toni has been the Chief Race and Test Engineer and has been a key figure both in the early days and this new stage of HRT and now he assumes an even more important role as the Technical Director. 04.04.2012 ISSUE 13
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FOR THE RECORD BRUNO SENNA
BRUNO SENNA: A GOOD RE WEIGHT OFF YOUR SHOUL
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runo Senna has said that he feels a release of pressure following a strong showing at the Malaysian Grand Prix, where his sixth place earned the Williams team more points on the wet afternoon at Sepang than the team scored the whole of last season, and is their best result since 2010. The Brazilian, whose uncle was the great triple world champion Ayrton Senna, has had a tough time establishing his credentials to date with parttime seats at the HRT and Renault / Lotus) teams. Although out-qualified for the second consecutive grand prix by his Williams teammate Pastor Maldonado in Malaysia, Senna went on to score 8 points in the race — more than the famous British team’s entire tally of last year. “HAving a good result takes some of the weight off your shoulders,” he admitted, according to the Sun newspaper. “There will always be critics and you are never going to please everybody. But for sure, having a strong result will take some wind out of the critics’ sails. “Hopefully I can make sure I keep having strong results to show I deserve my place here,” the 28-yearold added. Martin Brundle, the former grand prix veteran who is now a highly respected British commentator and analyst, has revealed he is one such sceptic who has been won over. “For the first time, I believe Bruno Senna can cut it in formula one,” he said. “I hadn’t seen anything before that convinced me in the same way this (result in Malaysia) did.” 04.04.2012 ISSUE 13
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ESULT TAKES SOME LDERS
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REPORT ADAM PARR
WAS ADAM PARR PUSHED
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s ever in the complex and political world of F1, commentators within the sport’s media circus reacted with cynicism to the news that Adam Parr is leaving Williams. After all, it had emerged in Malaysia that the multiple champion team was one of only a few yet to agree terms with Bernie Ecclestone over the 2013 Concorde Agreement. And Chairman Parr – who was Williams’ defacto team principal at races in Sir Frank Williams’ regular absence – had never seen eye-to-eye with F1′s indomitable chief executive. Moreover, as Tom Cary wrote in the Telegraph, there had been “no indication” of Parr’s stepping down: indeed, quite the opposite was true. Parr said this month that he “could not imagine doing anything else”, while Williams earlier this month described the former Rio Tinto man as his “natural successor”. Telegraph correspondent Cary said “sources suggest he was the victim of a power play”, adding that Parr’s new absence and the Concorde talks seem “far from coincidental”. “Ecclestone had little time” for Parr, the journalist added, continuing that he was “one of the few within the sport who dared to criticise him”. Ecclestone, moreover, last month criticised Williams’ recent restructuring, including the departure of Sam Michael and arrival of Mike Coughlan. “I don’t think they’ve done it the right way,” said the F1 supremo. “The changes should have come from above, not from below. I think people like (shareholder) Toto Wolff should get more control,” he added. The Independent newspaper this week agreed that the timing of Parr’s exit “seems a bit strange”. And the Guardian acknowledged that he had had “an edgy relationship” with Ecclestone. 04.04.2012 ISSUE 13
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D OR DID HE JUMP?
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REPORT PIRELLI
PIRELLI APPOINT ALGUERS AS TEST DRIVERS FOR 201
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1 tyre supplier Pirelli on Friday announced that Jaime Alguersuari has been signed as a test driver. The former Toro Rosso driver was left without a role for the 2012 season, so he signed on as a co-commentator for British radio as a means of staying in the paddock full-time. The 22-year-old Spaniard will join Pirelli’s existing test driver Lucas di Grassi, the former Virgin driver, and the pair will also develop tyres for GP2. Pirelli said Alguersuari will “bring his knowledge of the most current generation of formula one machinery”. Alguersuari and di Grassi will test Pirelli’s newly-acquired 2010 Renault car at Jerez, Spa, Monza and Barcelona between May and September. Di Grassi, who started 18 races for Virgin Racing in 2010, was Pirelli’s test driver throughout the 2011 season, completing five test sessions with the Italian firm. The 27-year-old commented: “I’m delighted to be back for another year with Pirelli after an extremely successful first season of collaboration. We learned a lot together and so we are both very happy to continue. This is a good opportunity for me to carry on the work that we started last year, which allows me to compare and contrast with all the tyres I have tested so far. These tyres are now a fantastic feature of Formula One.”
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formula 1 legend nigel mansell
FORMULA 1 LEGEND: NIGE
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ome 17 years after his final grand prix race Nigel Mansell still ranks high on the lists of all-time Formula 1 race wins and poles, where in 187 starts he raced for Lotus, Williams, Ferrari and McLaren.
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EL MANSELL
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formula 1 legend nigel mansell Mansell scored 15 of his 31 Grand Prix victories with Renault V10 power behind him, and etched a special place in the company’s motor sporting history by earning its first World Championship. Born in 1953, the Englishman began racing relatively late. After years of hardship and struggle through Formula Ford and F3 he made it to F1 with the Colin Chapman led Team Lotus in 1980, making his debut in the team’s third entry in the Austrian Grand Prix alongside regulars Mario Andretti and Elio de Angelis. He landed a full-time race seat in the iconic JPS backed Lotus the following year and began to show some real promise, qualifying as high as third in Monaco, and finishing third in Belgium. The following year he had another third in Brazil (albeit after two cars ahead were penalised), and was fourth in Monaco. Mansell’s relationship with Renault began in the turbo era in 1983 after Lotus secured an engine supply deal with the French manufacturer. Initially the team covered its options by running a Renault-powered car for Elio de Angelis and a DFV for Mansell. The latter finally got his hands on the 04.04.2012 ISSUE 13
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V6-powered Type 94T at the British GP, where he delighted fans by finishing fourth. Later he took third – and set fastest lap – in the European GP at Brands Hatch. Lotus and Mansell continued with Renault power into 1984. The new 95T was more competitive, and he regularly qualified in the top six, even taking his first pole in Dallas. But at that stage of his career he could be inconsistent and made some mistakes, famously crashing out in the rain while leading at Monaco. After four full 04.04.2012 ISSUE 13
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seasons with Lotus the consensus was that he had yet to fulfil his true potential – and many critics thought that he never would. However, Frank Williams had faith, and signed him up for 1985. At the wheel of the Williams-Honda Mansell came of age over the next few seasons, winning 13 races and coming close to taking the F1 world championship title in both 1986 and 1987, only to lose out at the last gasp. 113
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formula 1 legend nigel mansell Williams had no turbo engine in 1988 and at the end of the season Mansell moved to Ferrari for what was to be a turbulent two-year spell with the Italian team, one that ultimately ended in disappointment. Although h impressed the tifosi who to this day still refer to him fondly as ‘il Leone’ (the Lion.) Meanwhile Mansell watched with interest as his former team – Williams – established a successful relationship with Renault. Convinced that the package was competitive, Mansell duly agreed to return to
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Williams in 1991. Armed with the Renault-powered FW14 he was the pacesetter in the latter half of the season, eventually finishing a close second to Ayrton Senna in the standings. The following year, 1992, he was utterly dominant with the high-tech active Renault powered, Adrian Newey penned, Williams FW14B – winning the first five races and securing the title by the Hungarian GP in August, with five races still to run. Also the year of the famous ‘Red 5’ which became his unofficial trademark.
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formula 1 legend nigel mansell However before the end of the year he had a public disagreement with Williams. In his autobiography Mansell writes that this was because of a deal made at the previous Hungarian GP, which Williams reneged on, and the prospect of Frenchman Alain Prost joining the Renault-powered team. Thus Mansell made a bold move and opted out for 1993, moving instead to the Indycar series, where against the odds he won the championship in his first year. After the death of Ayrton Senna in 1994 Mansell was called back to Williams, competing in four races that did not clash with his Indycar commitments. He was fourth in Japan and then won in Australia after team mate Damon Hill collided with Michael Schumacher. His F1 career fizzled out after a disastrous and brief spell at McLaren in 1995, although he has made sporadic appearances in other categories ever since. Always spectacular in the car, and always controversial out of it, he remains one of the greats of the modern F1 era. His record will stand the test of time with one Formula 1 world championship title, 31 wins, 59 podiums, 32 pole positions and 30 fastest laps. His last F1 race was at the 1995 Austrian GP. 04.04.2012 ISSUE 13
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big picture sergio perez 19 F1 Races 2011 Australian Grand Prix - Disqualified
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big picture sergio perez 19 F1 Races 2011 Chinese Grand Prix - 17th
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big picture sergio perez 19 F1 Races 2011 Turkish Grand Prix - 14th
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big picture sergio perez 19 F1 Races 2011 Spanish Grand Prix - 9th
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big picture sergio perez 19 F1 Races 2011 Monaco Grand Prix - Did Not Start
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big picture sergio perez 19 F1 Races 2011 Canadian Grand Prix - Did Not Start
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big picture sergio perez 19 F1 Races 2011 European Grand Prix - 11th
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big picture sergio perez 19 F1 Races 2011 British Grand Prix - 7th
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big picture sergio perez 19 F1 Races 2011 German Grand Prix - 11th
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big picture sergio perez 19 F1 Races 2011 Hungarian Grand Prix - 15th
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big picture sergio perez 19 F1 Races 2011 Belgian Grand Prix - Did Not Finish
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big picture sergio perez 19 F1 Races 2011 Italian Grand Prix - Did Not Finish
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big picture sergio perez 19 F1 Races 2011 Singapore Grand Prix - 10th
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big picture sergio perez 19 F1 Races 2011 Japanese Grand Prix - 8th
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big picture sergio perez 19 F1 Races 2011 Korean Grand Prix - 16th
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big picture sergio perez 19 F1 Races 2011 Indian Grand Prix - 10th
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big picture sergio perez 19 F1 Races 2011 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix -11th
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big picture sergio perez 19 F1 Races 2011 Brazilian Grand Prix - 13th
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big picture sergio perez 19 F1 Races 2012 Australian Grand Prix - 8th
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big picture sergio perez 19 F1 Races 2012 Malaysian Grand Prix - 2nd
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